Thursday, August 29, 2013

Last week I gave you upper body challenge…this week it’s lower body. Check out this week’s contribution on feed me kc. Also, need more veggies in your diet? The answer is “YES!” Get some more in this way!

Happy Labor Day! I don’t know about you, but our grill is heating up and ready to party. A fun filled get-togethers with tons of food and friends are a fantastic way to celebrate the end of summer and spend time with family and friends, but they can really do damage to your waist-line.

So what’s a BBQ lover to do? Just follow these simple tricks to keep your heart and waistline healthy this weekend.

1.Choose the right meat. If you have a choice, choose grilled chicken, lean turkey burger or very lean hamburger (93% lean). You will get a great protein pump without the all the calories and fat (especially saturated fat) of the fatty burgers and brats.

2.Don’t fill up on bread. Stay away from rolls and buns. Generally, these are made with refined, white flour anyway, so they can pack in the calories without providing an ounce of nutrition…just say no.

3.Fill up on grilled or fresh veggies. They are low calorie, fiber-filled and nutrient packed.

5.Only eat what you really really want to eat. If you LOVE baked beans, have a little bit…not bucketfull…but get a nice little taste (like ¼ cup) and be satisfied. If it’s brats that you drool over, have a half of one for your “meat” and call it a day.

6.If you’re staying away from carbs all together, a BBQ should be easy for you...meat and veggies…make it your mantra!

7.Bring something to the party that you can nosh on without guilt: think veggie tray.

8. Watch what you are sipping…alcohol typically = more food consumption. So choose light beers, wine or hard liquor with calorie free mixers. And do the every-other-drink rule: water, alcohol, water, alcohol, etc.

Check out this tasty, healthy and very full plate!

•Grilled chicken breast

•Grilled asparagus (10 spears)

•Fruit Salad (1/2 cup)

•Baked beans (1/4 cup)

•Coleslaw (1/4 cup)

•Chocolate chip cookies (1 cookie)

For all of that…including a cookie treat…it’s only about 550 calories, 15 grams of fat (5 saturated), 159 mg cholesterol, 509 mg sodium.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Looking for a great upper body workout to make you say “ouch” (in like a GREAT way)? Look no further than my newest article at feed me kc. Click here for the workout and a great recipe that anyone can eat!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Here ya go! Do 16 reps of each move. Go through the entire sequence and repeat for a total of 3 sets. Need more? Do some planks and sit ups at the end. And, as always, warm up a bit before you begin, stretch after you finish and have fun with the moves (make them more or less challenging depending on your fitness level).

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

So I'm on vacation. Every year my husband and I head to the lake, just the two of us. And while basically all we do is sit around and eat and drink and take naps, I refuse to let all my hard workouts and clean eating progress go out the window. So, we plan! I stock the condo's fridge with tons of fruit and veggies (of course in the photo, you can't see the bottles of wine on the counter or the popcorn and M&MS in the cupboard, but you get the idea).

Yesterday, Nate and I ran THE Hill...the photos below don't do it justice. It's exactly 1/4 mile straight up with switchbacks. It's one of those hills that make you feel like you aren't even moving as you run your fastest up with your nose to the pavement the grade is so steep. So I did that twice, did 16 minutes of a Tabatas workout: hip-ups/single leg squats, divebomb push-ups/side planks, genie abs/kettle bell swings, dips (off jacuzzi)/speed skaters.

Then...I rewarded myself with this amazing breakfast!

And then I rewarded myself further with this amazing drink at lunch...I'm on vacation! ;)

So moral of the story is that I've decided my vacation time is all about balance...cheers!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Research shows that listening to heart pumping beats during your workouts helps you go longer, harder, faster as well as decreases your perception of workout discomfort. Here’s my newest playlist…I’m a bit obsessed with it :)

Want to burn the most calories in the least amount of time? Increase your intensity with interval training! Also, check out this delicious veggie and protein packed quinoa dish. It’s all in my newest post on feed me kc. Click here for the workout and recipe!

A little bit about me

Feeling good and living life to its fullest are my passions. I found that exercise and food help me do both of those things while being a friend, wife, mama, coach, trainer and all sorts of other roles. My goal as a health coach is to find simple but powerful ways to improve people's sleep, body image, gut health and longevity. I hope that some of my little posts speak to you and help with even a tiny bit of every day life. Please comment and let me know what you think or what you do to feel your best and live life to the fullest!